READY TO READ

Kids' books: Gateways to literacy

Literacy is the key to success—and with the treasure of inspiring, delightful and challenging books out there, there's no reason reading can't turn into a lifetime pleasure. The key is to get kids hooked on reading at a young age.

Two books that are likely to do just that are Rebecca Stead's “;When You Reach Me”; and Jerry Pinkney's “;The Lion and the Mouse,”; two highly praised books just awarded the top prizes in children's literature.

Stead's time-traveling narrative set in 1970s Manhattan, inspired in part by Madeleine L'Engle's “;A Wrinkle in Time,”; won the John Newbery Medal for best children's book. Pinkney's visual retelling of the classic Aesop fable won the Randolph Caldecott prize for picture books.

Take the time to check out these books—and a whole lot more—at a nearby book store or library. In the words of the great Dr. Seuss: “;The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go.”;

FAIR'S FAIR

When Harry met Sally, and shared household chores equally

Back in the day, women got married for financial security and social status. Men had the dominant hand in just about every aspect of society, and marriage became an economic stepladder of sorts for women.

You've come a long way, baby.

A new report by the Pew Research Center reveals that it is the men who are increasingly getting the biggest economic boost from tying the knot, a reflection of the increase of working wives over the past 40 years. A larger share of today's men, compared with their 1970 counterparts, are married to women whose education and income exceed their own, reports The Associated Press, and a larger share of women are wed to men with less education and income.

Given this shifting marriage dynamic, does this mean that husbands are doing their fair share on the housekeeping front? We certainly hope so.